Mechanical musical instrument.



No. 851,471 PATENTED APR. 23, 1907. P. WUEST, JR.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, 1906.

UNITED STATES PHILIP VVUEST, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMANUAL PIANO ACTION COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PEN N- PATENT OFFICE,

SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed September 19,1906. Serial No. 335,166.

To all whom it 'nut concern.

Be it known that I, PHILIP W UnsT, Jr, of Philadelphia, in the State 'of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improveme'nts in Mechanical Musical Instruments, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is applicable to that class of re musical instruments comprising automatic playing mechanism, arranged to operate sounding devices, for instance, by respective strike pneumatic motors controlled by a perforated web of paper, arranged to open '15 and close a series of apertures in a pneumatic tracker bar, respectively leading to the valves controlling the individual motors, and, relates particularly to means for controlling communication.

It is one object of my invention to provide a cut-oil valve comprising an enclosed diaphragm of flexible material, such as rubber covered cloth, or the like, arranged to positively control the flow of air in the exhaust 5 system and thereby avoid the use of. a slide valve of large frictional area, as is usual in cut-oil's of this class.

Another object of my invention is to provide an exhauster that will exhaust a maxi- 3 mum quantity of air from the exhaust system of a pneumatic action with a minimum amount of exertion of the operator, by providing closed diaphragms arranged to alternately open and close as the exhaust bellows is collapsed and distended.

As hereinafter described, my improvements comprise a cut-off mechanism having adjacent ports leading respectively to the pneumatic action and to the exhauster and 4 being provided with a closed diaphragm. ar-

ranged to be controlled by a slide valve of comparatively small frictional area. Said exhauster is provided with an inlet port in communication with the exhaust system,

andan outlet port in communication with the atmosphere, each arranged to be independently controlled by closed dia tihragms of flexible material arranged to alternately open and close said ports.

My invention further comprises the various novel features of construction hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the. cut-off 1, is interposed between'the exhauster 2, and the pneumatic action 3, and is arranged to control the flow of air in the exhaust system. Said cut-oil 1, comprises the duct board 5, and cover board 6, which latter is provided with the recess 7, within which the diaphragm 8, is arranged to control the adjacent ports 10, and 11, in said duct board 5. Said port 10, is in communication with the exhauster 2, and said port 11, is in communication with the pneumatic action Said port 10, and recess 7, are respectively connected by comparatively small ducts 14 and 15, to the adjacent ports 16, and 17, in the slide valve seat 18, supporting the slide valve 20, which is arranged to alternately establish communication between said ports 16 and 17, or to open the port 17, to the atmosphere.

It will be seen that a partial vacuum being established within the exhaust system, and the port 10, and recess 7, being in communi cation, as shmvn in the drawing, the diaphragm 8, will be distended to permit the free passage of air between the ports 10, and

11, but if the slide valve 20, be moved to the position shown in dotted lines wherein the port 17, is open to the atmosphere, the diaphragm 8, will be collapsed by atmospheric pressure and positively close the ports 10, and 11, so that no air can pass between them, and thereby shuts off all communication between the exhauster 2, and the pneumatic action 3.

The exhauster 2, comprises the movable leaf or lever 22, hinged at 23, and provided. with the bellows 24, which is secured on the duct board 28, comprising the ports 29, and 30, through which said bellows 24, may be respectively and alternately placed in communication with the exhaust system, and with the atmosphere. Said port 29, communicates with the exhaust system when the diaphragm 32, is distended as shown in the drawing, within the bellows 24:, in which position said diaphragm 32, uncovers the adjoining port 34, leading to said exhaust system. The port 30, communicates with the atmosphere when the diaphragm 38, is distended as shown in dotted lines, in which position it uncovers the port 40, leading to the atmosphere through the lower edge of the duct board 28. Said diaphragm 32,is distended simultaneously with the distension of the bellows 24c, and the diaphragm 38, is disthe bellows 24, so that as said bellows 24, collapses, the air therein is forced out through the port 30, under the diapl'iragm 3S, and through the adjoining port 40, to the atmos phere and when distending said diaphragm. f 38, is drawn against its seat by the partial 3 vacuum formed therein and closes the ports 30, and 40, as shown in the drawings, and. air is drawn from the exhaust system through 1 the port '34, under the diaphragm 32, and through the port 29, into said bellows 4. Said exhauster is arranged to exhaust the from the automatic playing mechanism which comprises the port board 45, the top cover board 46, the front cover board. 47, and the movable leaf or lever 48, the end 49, of which is operatively related to a sounding device Said leaf is hinged at its end 50, and provided with the bellows 51, which when exhausted rises and when inflated drops to the position shown. Said bellows 51, is secured to the port board 45, comprising the ports 52, and 53, through which said bellows 51, may be respectively and alternately placed in communication with the exhaust system and with the atmosphere. Said. port 53, communicates with the exhaust reservoir when the diaphragm 55, is uplifted as indicated in dotted lines within its recess 56, in which position said diaphragm uncovers the adjoining port 57, having the conduit 58, and leading to the exhaust chamber 60. Said port 52, communicates with the atmosphere when the diaphragm 61, is uplifted in its recess 62, to the position shown, in which it uncovers the port 63, opening to the atmosphere through the left hand edge of said port board 45. Said diaphragms 55, and 61, are alternately uplifted to respectively collapse and diste'nd i, said bellows 51, by the primary valve mechl anism which is conveniently mounted in the l port board 45, top cover board 46, and the front cover board 47. Said boards enclosing the exhaust chamber 60, in which a partial vacuum is maintained. by the exhauster 2 and the port board 45, is provided with a recess 65, covered by the diaphragm 66, which is in operative relation with the valve stem. 68, connected to the two valves 69 and 70, respectively arranged to close against the seat plates 72, and 73, respectively at the top and bottom of the valve chamber 74, which is connected to the recess 56, by the conduit 75. Said stem 68, is supported in the respective bearings 76, and 77, local to said plates.

The front cover board 47, is provided with a duct 78, which communicates with the exhaust chamber 60, through the perforation 79. Said duct 78, is connected by the flexible conduit 80, with an aperture in an. ordinary tracker bar and by the duct 82-, in the cover board 46, to the recess 62. Said apparatus operates as follows :The slide valve 20, being in the position shown in full lines in the l tended simultaneously with the collapsing of l both of the ports 52, and 63.

drawings, the cutoff 1, opens communica tion in the exhaust system lxatween the exhauster 2, and the pneumatic action 3. The leaf 22, of the exhausrer 2, l.)eing distended by any convenient form of pedal mechal 1i sm, not shown, but which may be attached l o the bracket 2.1, causes the diaphragm 32, to distcnd and establish coinmunication between P the ports 29, and34, through which. air is drawn from the exhaust system; comempo raneously the diaphragm 38, is colla' xsed by the amnospheric pressure to close the ports 30, and. 40. Said exhaust system. communica;es witl'l. and exhausts the recess 7, through the flexible conduits 14. and 15, and. the slide valve 20, which. causes the diaphragm 8, to

distend and CSLElbllSll. com]nunication betively to the exhausi er 2, and. the pneumatic ac=.io1'1. 3. The leaf 48, of the pneuimnic action 3, normally occupies the position shown. The tracker bar aperture crmnecmd with the duct 78, being uncovered, atmos',iheric airis admitted to the latter which was previously exhaused. through the yerforznion 7%), communicating with the exhaust chanrber (ill, and the diaphragm. 61 is released from lub upliiled position so that it may fall and close (out o] 1 1p oraneously the annospheric pressure benem h the diaphragm 66, at the bottom of the exhaust chamber 60, uplifts the diaplu'agm into contact with the valve stem 68, so as to simultaneously open the valve 70, and. close the valve 69, exhausting the valve chamber 74 and recess 56, through the conduit 75, so as to raise the diaphragm 55, to the position indicated in dotted lines, thus establishing conununication beneath said diaphragm 55, and between the ports 53, and 57, exhausting and collapsing the bellows 51., and uplifting the bellows leaf 43, to ope 'ate the sounding device connected therewith. The air inlet port 52, being of course tightly closed by the diaphragm 61, pressed down thereon by the atmosphere admitted through the ports 78, and 82, as above described. When the aperture in the tracker bar is again covered the movable members of the pneumatic action operate in a reverse order and the leaf 48, is dropped to its normal position as shown. when it is desired to close comnrunicatioii between the exhauster 2, and the pneumatic ae'ihin 3, the slide valve 20, is shifted to the tween the sorts 10, and 1.1, leading respecposition shown in dotted lines by any desirable connector (not shown) but which may be attached to the lug 1.9, in which position the port 17, is opened to atmosphere, which enters the recess 7, through the 'llexible conduit 15, and presses the (.liaphragm 8, against its seat, and positively closes'the ports 1.0, and 11.

I do not desire to limit myself to the prel cise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I claim with an exhauster; of a cut-off valve coml prising a casing in said system; adjacent ports in said casing; an enclosed recess adjoining said ports; a closed diaphragm in said recess arranged to alternately and simulta- O l neously open and close both of said ports; a slide valve seat; ad acent ports in said seat i diaphragm in said recess; a slide valve seat;

a port in said seat connected to said recess; a port in said seat connected to said exhauster; and a slide valve arranged to alternately connect the ports in said valve seat, and to open the port connected with said recess to the atmosphere, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination with pneumatic playing 1. In a mechanical musical lnstrumentg having an exhaust system, the combination i mechanism; of an exhauster for said mech anism; a cut-off valve comprising a casing; an exhaust port in said casing leading to said exhauster; an inlet port adjacent said. exhaust port leading to said playing mechanism an enclosed recess adjoining said ports; a closed diaphragm in said recess arranged to alternately and simultaneously open and close both of said ports a valve seat having two ports, one connected to said recess and the other connected to said exhauster; and a slide valve having a recess to connect the ports in its seat, whereby in one position of said valve said diaphragm containing recess may be placed in communication with said exhanster, and in another position of said valve said diaphragm recess may be placed in communication with the atniosphere, sil bstantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 17th day of September 1906.

PHILIP WUEST, JR.

I/Vitnesses Jmins H. BELL, E. L, FULLERTON. 

